Hard Hit
by Ira-Grace White
Summary: One-shot based upon Jack and Sue's visit to the grieving Shepherd family in "Concrete Evidence". This story focuses upon Andy Shepherd's feelings during and after that visit.


**Thank you for your patience! I now have another "short" story for you - it ended up being longer than I had intended! Once I got started I had so much to say that the length quickly grew. I had to take some time and work hard on editing so that I could get the wording just right. I hope that you all enjoy the results! First I have to give a disclaimer - this story is based upon the episode, "Concrete Evidence". I quoted several lines of dialogue from the scene where Sue and Jack visit the Shepherds. I do not own these characters or those lines of dialogue (credits to Paxson Entertainment and Pebblehut Productions). I just tried to portray Andy Shepherd to the best of my ability.**

 **Please enjoy as you read. When you finish, please review with your comments - I love to hear from you! Also, in preparation for a new story (which, Lord willing, will be posted next week), please comment your favourite quotes from the show (there are SO many great ones!). I will read over the comments (likely this coming Saturday or Sunday) and attempt to write a short story off of one of the quotes, so comment for a chance to influence that next story! For now, enjoy this one! God bless!**

Andy Shepherd jogged into the drive way of his and his mom's house, returning home from sports practice. It had been a great basketball session as they drilled for an upcoming game. He had left right after, although some of the others had asked him to hang out. He did not have a way to call his mom, and he never went places anymore without letting her know. Five years ago he would have without hesitation, even though he was a lot younger. Five years ago his mom would have only given the instruction to be back in time for dinner as he left the house. But now, because of that horrible day half a decade ago, she seemed to struggle to let him leave, although she always allowed her teenage son to go out when she saw that it was important to him. He knew that she trusted him and knew that he was responsible - that wasn't the reason for her protectiveness. Deep in her eyes, beneath the surface concern, he could see that sliver of fear when he waved goodbye to her. She tried to hide it from him, but he was not fooled. He knew that his mom was scared if he was even half an hour late. And so that was why he was home instead of goofing off with his friends - he could not bear to see his mother hurt again. And he did not regret that sacrifice - not ever.

Today, coming home right away meant that he saw the car in the drive way.

"Who's that?" Andy wondered allowed to himself, as he loped up the front steps to the door. "I know that car from some ... I know! It's Jack!"

Jack Hudson had been a co-worker of his dad. His father had been a special agent with the FBI, and Jack was one of Andy's favourite role models from the Bureau. They had kept in touch over the passing years, even though Andy's father, James Shepherd, was no longer the leader of Jack's team.

That was because James Shepherd was gone.

That reminder caused by seeing Jack's car made Andy's heart to ache for a second. How he missed his father! The strong, tall man had been a wonderful dad, a loving husband, and a talented agent; but five years ago his father was killed in the line of duty in a freak situation that no one could have expected and that his dad had been unable to prevent. That wound still hurt.

Andy shook his head and cleared away his emotions as best as he could. If Jack had come to visit he would enjoy that time with one of his biggest heroes. He could set that sorrow away, at least for now. He would not let his friend or mother see the pain that lurked within his heart, behind his eyes. He opened the door.

"Hey, Andy!" Jack said as he turned to see the young man. His face lit up with a smile. Andy smiled back.

"Hey, Jack! How's it going?" he enquired easily while shaking hands with the short, dark-haired agent.

"Um, I'm doing all right," Jack said. To Andy, Jack sounded as if perhaps he was not all right, but Agnet Hudson was moving on to other topics. "Do you remember Sue Thomas?" Jack asked, turning to the sweet, smiling blonde woman sitting at the kitchen table with Mrs. Shepherd. It was then that Andy noticed that his mother seemed stressed and a bit emotional. Not a good sign.

"Yeah," Andy nodded. _What is going on? Why are they visiting?_

"What, do you grow about an inch a week these days?" Jack asked. Andy smiled. A lot of people commented on how tall he was growing. He was glad about it, too. His dad had been tall, and any way that he could be more like his dad, he wanted it. He looked at his mom. She smiled at him, but then the smile faded from her face. She looked tired and hopeless. Andy's own smile evaporated. There was definitely reason for concern now.

"What's going on?"

Jack looked down.

 _Oh no. Whatever it is, it can't be_ good.

"Andy, Tony Hill is being released from jail. I came by to tell your mother."

 _What?_

Andy felt as if his heart had been frozen to the core with Jack's announcement. He could not feel anything. It was as if Jack had reached over and struck him so hard that he felt no pain, even though the blow was great.

"You said he'd be in jail for a long time." The words seemed inadequate for the numbness that he felt. They were so empty to express the questions that he had, but they were the only ones that he could think to say. They held a drop of accusation; he knew that they did. And he knew that Jack knew it as well.

"Not as long as we thought." His Mom did not want him to blame Jack. He could tell from the fact that she had so quickly jumped to explain for Jack. "The parole board's letting him out," she continued. Andy could barely stand to look at her. Beneath her controlled words and outwardly calm demeanor he knew that she was suffering the same feelings with which he was struggling. Pain. Hate. Anger. Hurt. Sadness.

"He won't bother you. I just wanted you to hear it from me, not from the news or something," Jack explained.

"I've got a lot of homework to do," Andy mumbled, turning away from the three people looking at him with concern. He walked up the stairs and did not look back. He went into his room and refused the urge to violently slam his door shut. He would not hurt his mom further by letting her fully know the anguish he was feeling. He locked the door, not wanting her or Jack or that blonde, angel-like woman to follow him. Then he set his bag and basketball on the floor by his desk before sitting down on his bed.

 _Tony Hill is getting out, but my dad will never come back. How is that fair? How is ANYTHING fair? How could a judge let him out? Oh, yeah, they never charged him with my dad's death anyway! They couldn't "prove" it. Well, they had hints everywhere and my dad was dead. I KNOW that it was him. What else did they need? Was it not obvious? And he was supposed to get twenty years simply for drug trafficking. Yet he won't even get punished fully for that. It isn't fair! How could Jack come here and tell us that? Tell my mom that the killer of her husband is getting out free? Tell me that my dad's life wasn't worth anything other than five years of jail time? How could he do it? How could Jack - a "friend" of my dad and of me - dare to come tell us that news? How could he? How could he!_

In his despair and anger Andy found a target in Jack Hudson. Although deep in his heart he knew that it was unfair to blame Jack, someone who would have moved heaven and earth to help the grieving Shepherds, in the moment it felt good to vindictively aim his anger at the innocent agent. Doing so was completely against his soft-hearted, kind nature. It almost scared Andy as he struggled against the emotions that he felt. Being busy getting angry at someone helped distract him from the real pain and anger simmering in his heart, the pain that would shatter him if he allowed himself to fully feel it. When he heard the front door close, he stood and walked to the window and watched as Jack and Sue left. Jack held open the passenger car door for Sue, then closed it for her. Before Jack got into the driver's seat he paused to look up at the house and noticed Andy standing at the window. He nodded sadly to the teenager. Andy glared back at him, trying to make Jack feel some of the hurt that he himself was feeling. It worked. He saw a somber Jack wince and look down sadly before he wearily got into his car and slowly drive away. Andy felt a strange angry victoriousness as Jack Hudson left.

 _Yes. I succeeded. He saw that I hate him and he, the "big and tough" agent, backed down in front of me._

But for some reason, that memory only compounded his grief that night as he lay alone in his bed that night, with only tears and darkness for company.

...

When only a few days later Andy returned to the same car in the same place in his drive way, he felt the same anger surge up. He ran up the steps, ready to go in and give that Agent Hudson a piece of his mind. Just as he reached the top step the door opened and Jack stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. Andy had been running with such force that he was unable to stop before plowing straight into Jack, knocking the agent off balance.

"Whoa! Andy!" Jack exclaimed, reaching out to steady the teen. Andy shoved his hand away.

"Don't touch me! How can you dare to come here again? How?"

"Andy." Jack stepped back and looked at Andy, shock lining his face. "What's the matter?"

 _What's the matter?!_

It was such an innocent question, an innocent question that stung.

What was the matter? Seriously? Everything was the matter. Was it not obvious to everyone? He did not have a dad. What was the matter? It would be more appropriate to ask if there was anything right in the world.

"Never mind," Jack said when Andy did not reply.

 _Never mind? Is that all my dad meant to you, Jack?_

"I have great news!"

 _What? Are you marrying Sue? Did you get a raise? What? Because clearly your great news is exactly what I want to hear. What about "weep with them that weep"? You need to get out of here before I punch you. I don't want anything to do with you ever again._

"Get out of here," Andy demanded, his voice cold.

"Andy?" Jack was confused and took a step forward.

"Get out!" Andy shoved Jack back. Jack reached out and caught his arms in a strong grasp.

"Andy! Stop and listen to what I have to say!"

"I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear anything that you want to tell me." Andy struggled against Jack's firm hold.

"Tony Hill is being charged for your dad's murder."

"I don't want to hear what you ... what did you say?"

 _Can I dare to hope that actually just said what I think that he said? Could it be? Could it possibly be ...?_

"Tony Hill is going away on murder charges."

Andy felt his heart start pounding, seemingly beating again after nearly a week of being motionless. He could finally feel something other than anger - he could feel great gladness mingled with immense grief.

"He ... he is?"

"Yes, he is."

Jack did not seem surprised when Andy suddenly grabbed him in a hug while the tears streamed down his face. Indeed, Andy could feel the other man shake with sobs of his own.

It had been a hard hit to lose his dad as such a young boy. Even now, with a conviction and sentence, that blow was not lessened. But finally, after five horrible years and a sickening week of misery, that hard hit could begin to heal. And it was good to know that he would be surrounded by good friends through the healing process.


End file.
